The substance is made from raw cacao powder (from cacao pods) and energy-drink ingredients such as taurine and guarana, which have raised alarm regarding their effect on young people when used in large quantities.

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'alarm.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Today we usually think of an alarm as a loud noise that awakens us or warns us of danger. Its first use, however, was in Italy as a call to arms to soldiers. The Italian phrase all’arme! means literally “to arms” or “to your weapons.” The call was borrowed into other languages and came to be shortened to alarme in early French and Middle English. The word also came to be used as the name for the cry, then for any warning, and then to any device used to sound a warning, such as a bell or a gun. Since an alarm can cause fright or worry, such feelings also came to be known as alarm. By the 17th century, the word was used as a verb, meaning “to warn of danger” and then “to frighten.”

Origin and Etymology of alarm

Middle English alarme, alarom, from Middle French alarme, from Old Italian all'arme, literally, to the arms

Near Antonyms

Synonym Discussion of alarm

fear, dread, fright, alarm, panic, terror, trepidation mean painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger. fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage. fear of the unknowndread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety. faced the meeting with dreadfright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear. fright at being awakened suddenlyalarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger. view the situation with alarmpanic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity. the news caused widespread panicterror implies the most extreme degree of fear. immobilized with terrortrepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation. raised the subject with trepidation

alarum

Definition of alarm

transitive verb

Examples of alarm in a Sentence

I didn't mean to alarm you.

The rapid spread of the disease has alarmed many people.

Recent Examples of alarm from the Web

Activists have also been alarmed by Liu Xia's gradual descent into depression after the soft-spoken poet and artist was forcibly sequestered by state security at home during her husband's imprisonment.

Among recent events that have alarmed LGBT and human rights activists:
—In Indonesia, animosity toward the LGBT community has been whipped up by anti-gay comments from cabinet ministers and other public figures.

Experts in election law have said the campaign’s reporting problems were extensive, but not necessarily alarming given Applegate’s novice status as a candidate for federal office and the closeness of the race.

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'alarm.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.